Coil skid



R. E. JAMES COIL SKID Dec. 13, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 14, 1964 ZfM/PA Ey W l/m R. E. JAMES Dec. 13, 1966 COIL SKID Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 14, 1964 m- AW. l

lim /w R. E. JAMES Dec. 13, 1966 COIL SKID 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 14, 1964 INVENTOR. 22W

United States Patent O1 3,291,073 C(DliL SKID Robert E. .l ames, Iarrna Heights, Ohio, assignor to Silllllk Manufacturing Company, inc, Bucyrus, @hio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Dec. f4, 1964, Ser. No. 418,242 3 Claims. (Cl. 1tl5367) This invention relates to an improved coil skid, and more particularly, to a load confining coil skid which is usable in combination with railway cars, preferably of the gondola type, with or without sides, for transporting coils of materials such as coils of steel strip, sheet metal, screen, wire, rolls of paper, wire reels, cable rope, and the like.

In the transportation of heavy rolls or coils of strip steel, or the like, it is necessary not only to transport the material with a view in mind of safeguarding it against damage, but also to confine the lading against movement with a minimum of dunnage which is otherwise required to keep the same from destructive movement during transportation. During transportation, the lading is subjected to inevitable longitudinal impact, buffing and draft inertial forces, and such forces must be resisted and with minimum damage to the article being transported.

In order to transport cylindrically shaped articles as the class described, there have been proposed variously constructed skids which are adapted to have limited shifting relative movement lengthwise of the fiat car, there being generally provided cushinoi-ng devices in combination with the skid and flat car which yieldably resist such relative movements. The purpose of the cushioning devices is to absorb at least partially the high order of inertial loading on the lading being transported. In this way, it is possible to moderate a substantial portion of the inertial loads and thereby reduce or eliminate damage to the lading.

It has been found, that frames having inclined support surfaces with the inclination disposed transversely to the direction of movement of the railway car, requires considerable loose temporary or permanent dunnage, cross beams, pockets, etc. in combination with the frame to adequately restrain the article against shifting movement during transportation. When coils are transported, as is customary, with their flat end surfaces disposed in the direction of the railway car movement, then the ends of the coils can be deformed when subjected to longitudinal boiling and draft shocks. When the ends of the coils are impacted, this can produce stickers in the coil edges which are highly objectionable. When the coils are mounted for fabrication and are caused to uncoil, such stickers impede the unrolling operation.

In order to safeguard the coil against damage during transportation, the present invention provides seating means for the coils, etc. transversely of the skid wherefor the coil, etc. sustains all the inertial forces against the arcuate surfaces of the coil rather than against the fiat I ends of the coil, being positioned with said flat ends facing transversely of the car rather than longitudinally of the car. Inevitably substantial bufiing and draft forces occur longitudinally of the car and it is contemplated that these will be sustained by the curved portion of the coils rather than the flat end faces of the coils. Lateral inertial forces in railway travel are negligible and do not cause damage to 'lading,

The present invention provides for the transportation of coils transversely disposed in supporting and retaining means in a skid within which the coils, etc. may be readily loaded but which require minimum dunnage and an improved support structure so that the loading operation ice can be accomplished quickly and in an eflicient and economical manner.

The improved lading support of my invention is adapted without change for seating ooils, etc. of different sizes and lengths, so that each coil does not require a specific frame structure. The said structure of my invention supports the coils, etc. on at least two spaced portions of the arcuate surfaces thereof.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a load-supporting-and-retaining skid structure which is adapted to receive coils of various material and which is adapted to protect the flat ends of the lading against damage.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a new and improved skid adapted to transport a substantial range in size of coils, the coils being supported in such manner as to eliminate longitudinal shocks thereto, shifting movement of the coils being limited during railway transportation.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide the new and improved skid of the type referred to which is adapted to transport coils of various diameter and retain such coils against movement with a minimum of dunnage or auxiliary retaining structure.

A further object of my invention is to achieve a loading of the lading without the necessity of workmen installing means to restrain the lading, thus not only reducing the time of loading, but eliminating a safety hazard.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a support of but simple construction, requiring few parts, economical in construction and maintenance.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of the improved coil skid of my invention, for cross-load lading; certain parts being broken away to disclose the center sill of the car and spring supported structure, a portion of the car roof being shown in dotted lines;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of a railway car incorporating the present invention therein;

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the cross-load coil skid of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken from the line 44 of FIGURE 3 through the center of the railway car and skid, illustrating details of the center sill and its resilient cushioning spring, and disclosing in dotted lines a pair of coils interchangeably adapted to be seated in one of the coil cradles of the skid of my invention;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged side elevational view of the coil skid frame of my invention;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a transverse sectional view similar to FIGURE 6 but taken through the portions of the skid providing the stops.

Referring now to the drawings, in which a preferred embodiment is illustrated. The coil skid of my invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 and is illustrated as mounted for limited longitudinal movement on the floor 12 of a railway car of the gondola type it having a center sill 16.

The skid 10 is generally of rectangular formation having a pair of opposite side members 11, 13, a bottom formed of channel tie bars 21 extending transversely of the car, interposed cradles or pockets 24 transversely disposed, a plurality, preferably 4 in number, of skid runners is, preferably formed of wood, extending longitudinally of the car. The runners 18, as illustrated, have a metallic base plate 19 secured to the upper face thereof. Certain of said transverse tie bars 21 are adapted to be secured to said base plates 19 and skid runners 18 by means of countersunk bolts 20 or the like. The tie bars 21 so secured are adapted to seat in spaced relation rectangular web plates 22, preferably apertured at X, and said web plates 22 provide mounting means for cradles or pockets 24 provided there between. The pockets or cradles 24 are formed by securing an L-shaped angle member 25 to the upper end of each of a pair of spaced oppositely extending web plates 22 on either side of said skid, the said angle members 25 descending at an acute angle to the base plates, their lower edges lying flush on the base plate 19 and being spaced by a channel tie bar member 21 disposed between the lower ends of each of said confronting angles 25. The said bars web or yoke forms with fiat angled ends 25 of flooring 26 disposed from side to side of the skid over each pair of aligned angles 25 on opposite sides of said skid, a bottom for the cradle. The said intermediately disposed tie bars 21 are also adapted to reinforce the sides of the cradle, their upwardly extending sides 23 being secured to the opposite sides of the skid and the web or yoke 23' thereof affording with the flooring ends 25 the cradle bottom, as related hereinabove.

Referring to FIGURES 2, 4, 5, 6, the upper ends of each of the tie bars 21 are secured, as by welding, to longitudinally extending upper L-shaped side members 27, and side panels 28 are interposed between the sides 23 of the adjacent tie bar members 21 which, as shown, are formed of metal gusset members, seamed together along a diagonal edge thereof. Reinforcing bracket means 29 are secured to the sides 23 of the bar members 21 and project outwardly, as best shown in FIGURE 1, from the sides 11 and 13 of the skid.

At the opposite ends of the coil skid are angled brackets 60 providing reinforcement for the ends of the skid and having an angled member 61 adapted to be secured to the end web plate. The said angled member 61 and the cradle angle member 25 are capped by a generally V-shaped latitudinally extending metal cap member 70, which traverses and caps the upper edge portions of the end web plates 22. Similar caps 70 are provided at the apex afforded by the junction of web plate disposed between adjacent cradles and oppositely downwardly inclined angle members of each cradle abutting such web plate and forming sides of the adjacent cradles.

Buffer devices 30 for reducing the intensity of shocks of impact and draft on the skid and lading in the preferred form of my invention, are preferably mounted centrally under the skid between the skid and the frame of the car 14. The buffer assembly 30 is comprised of a number of energy absorption devices, which may be helical springs, friction or hydraulic units, rubber pads or a combination thereof. As shown, a plurality of helical springs 31 are shown arranged in several rows side by side, and as best illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4, functioning in series. Said springs are preferably installed under initial compression and thus provide controlled movement of the skid in relation to the car at all times.

A pair of longitudinally extending skid stops 32 are mounted, as by welding, upon the upper surface of the center sill of the car at the extreme ends of the buffer assembly. Said stops are preferably formed of L-shaped angles. A pair of similar stops 33 are mounted on the underside of the skid 10 which are also adapted to engage the buffer assembly at the extreme ends thereof, as best shown in FIGURES 4 and 7. It will be noted that the skid mounted stops 33 overlap longitudinally extending portions of the sill mounted stops 32, in spaced relation thereto. When the car is subjected to impact or draft shocks, these forces tend to slide the skid over the car in a longitudinal direction. The movement of the skid is controlled and the severity of the forces reduced by the buffer assembly in proportion to the intensity of the shocks. The inclination of the floor slope, as determined by the inclination of the angled sides 25 upon which the cradle flooring is supported, and the spacing between the converging sloped sides of each cradle, are preferably dimensioned so as to afford seating, as best illustrated in FIGURE 4, for coils of different diameter; each of said coils have the curved surfaces of said coils or rolls positioned longitudinally of the skid and car and spaced portions of said curved surfaces are supported by portions of the opposite sloped side surfaces of the cradles. The weight of the coils is thus distributed by spaced portions of the curved surfaces resting on opposite ramps or sides of the cradle. The coil has a tendency, due to the weight of the coil, to bottom on said spaced surfaces. The coils, it will be noted, have their intermediate bottom arcuate surfaces suspended above the bottom of the cradle. The angle of inclination of the ramps or sides of the cradle is preferably approximately at a 30 angle and essentially the angle of said sides is less than a right angle to the bottom of the cradle, and the coils, of whatever dimension 01' size, are supported solely by the sides of the cradle, said inclination providing seating in which the coils are prevented from movement, either forwardly or rearwardly, of the skid during movement of the car. It is to be noted that the cylindrically shaped lading or coils, when placed in the pockets or cradles as aforementioned, have their curved surfaces facing the ends of the skid and car and their flat or edged surfaces facing the sides of the skid or car. It can be observed that the flat sides of the coil, since there is little, if any, force yielded laterally of the car, are protected against impact or distortion of the flat ends thereof. It is to be observed that the described angularity of 30, for example, to 40, enables a maximum or optimum range of diameters of coils or other cylindrically shaped lading to be transported by the skid, properly seated and maintained against dislodgement or undue movement.

In operation, the railway car is transported on rails, the car including the usual flanged wheels 48, 50 which ride on the rails 44, 46. The railway car is as stated, loaded with the coils C, C having their arcuate, or rounded portions, resting on the inclined surfaces of the cradle, which are inclined upwardly and downwardly in the longitudinal direction of the car.

One of the important features of the present invention is that no restraining means are required for holding the coils in place once the lading is located as described. This advantage makes it possible to load and transport the coils more rapidly and economically by reason of the latitudinally located inclinations at the bottom of the pockets.

The coil skid is a rigid combination of inclined coil supporting members which are supported both longitudinally and laterally to prevent distortion of the components of the coil skid during operation. ,The coil skid operates in conjunction with the center sill to cushion impact of buff and draft forces and it may further include provision for a side bracket on which can rest a cover for protecting tlhe tops of the coil, as shown in dotted lines in FIGURES and 2.

While I have described by invention in connection with certain preferred embodiments, I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made therefrom without however departing from the spirit of my invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A skid for supporting and retaining coils on a railway flat car, said skid adapted for relative movement longitudinal of the car and having a frame of generally rectangular form having a pair of oppositely disposed upstanding side members, said skid provided with longitudinally disposed skid runners adapted to extend longitudinally of the car, a plurality of transversely extending tie members secured to said skid and to said side members, rectangular web plates seated on certain of said tie members and disposed in spaced relation transversely of the skid, a plurality of L-shaped angle members, each of said angle members having a portion secured to the upper end of each of a pair of opposite spaced Web plates, said angle members each having a portion descending at an acute angle from said upper secured portion and having a horizontally disposed portion, a pair of angle members cooperating to form said coil receiving pockets in said skid to receive the coils therein without additional restraining means, said descending surfaces bottoming opposite curved surfaces of said coils disposed transversely of the skid in said pockets.

2. A skid for supporting and retaining coils on a railway flat car as claimed in claim 1 wherein said descending surfaces have from thirty to forty degrees inclination to the horizontally disposed portions thereof and the flat ends of the coils facing the sides of said frame.

3. A skid for supporting and retaining coils on a railway flat car as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of spring devices under predetermined initial compression are disposed centrally under the skid and a pair of skid stops mounted under the skid.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,599,612 6/1952 Cope 105367 2,810,602 10/1957 Abrams -367 2,817,304 12/1957 Newcomer et -al. 105-367 2,873,692 2/1959 Schey et al 105367 2,958,492 11/1960 Maynard 248-119 2,973,174 2/ 1961 Stanwick et a1 248 --1 19 3,009,426 11/1961 Nampa 105369 3,061,255 10/1962 Gallo et al 248-119 3,163,129 12/1964 Gutridge 10'5368 3,197,236 7/1965 Burton 280179 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,240,592 8/ 1960 France.

ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

D. E. HOFFMAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SKID FOR SUPPORTING AND RETAINING COILS ON A RAILWAY FLAT CAR, SAID SKID ADAPTED FOR RELATIVE MOVEMENT LONGITUDINAL OF THE CAR AND HAVING A FRAME OF GENERALLY RECTANGULAR FORM HAVING A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED UPSTANDING SIDE MEMBERS, SAID SKID PROVIDED WITH LONGITUDINALLY DISPOSED SKID RUNNERS ADAPTED TO EXTEND LONGITUDINALLY OF THE CAR, A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING TIE MEMBERS SECURED TO SAID SKID AND TO SAID SIDE MEMBERS, RECTANGULAR WEB PLATES SEATED ON CERTAIN OF SAID TIE MEMBERS AND DISPOSED IN SPACED RELATION TRANSVERSELY OF THE SKID, A PLURALITY OF L-SHAPED ANGLE MEMBERS, EACH OF SAID ANGLE MEMBERS HAVING A PORTION SECURED TO THE UPPER END OF EACH OF A PAIR OF OPPOSITE SPACED WEB PLATES, SAID ANGLE MEMBERS EACH HAVING A PORTION DESCENDING AT AN ACUTE ANGLE FROM SAID UPPER SECURED PORTION AND HAVING A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED PORTION, A PAIR OF ANGLE MEMBERS COOPERATING TO FORM SAID COIL RECEIVING POCKETS IN SAID SKID TO RECEIVE THE COILS THEREIN WITHOUT ADDITIONAL RESTRAINING MEANS, SAID DESCENDING SURFACES BOTTOMING OPPOSITE CURVED SURFACES OF SAID COILS DISPOSED TRANSVERSELY OF THE SKID IN SAID POCKETS. 